Saturday

Just in from a down-n-derby afternoon at the Dulles SportsPlex, where the Cherry Blossom Bombshells* took on the Secretaries of Hate* in three punishing periods of good ol' American roller derby madness. A quick recap of amateur flat-track rules follow. Context: a bout is played between two teams of up to fifteen skaters; each bout is broken into three twenty-minute periods consisting of unlimited two-minute jams; each jam is played between five rotating members from each opposing team, each including one pivot and three blockers (comprising the pack), and one jammer. There are referees for every major position. Content: players have thirty seconds to assume position for the next jam; the jam begins with the first whistle, when the eight-member pack, led by the two opposing pivots, starts to skate around the track; a second whistle starts the two opposing jammers several seconds later. Their job is to catch up to, and then make their way through, the clustered pack, to then lap the cluster and repeat. The skaters in the pack either assist or block them, depending on team affiliation. Results: the first jammer to make it through the pack without penalty in the initial lap becomes the lead, and is bestowed with the power to end the jam for strategic reasons; referees can also do this; during the second lap through the pack, the jammer scores one point for every opposing team member passed without penalty; minor penalties forfeit the point, or forfeit lead availability in that first turn; four minor penalties add up to a major, resulting in bench time. There should be no pushing, grabbing, elbowing, or tripping. Today, nimble Bombshell jammer Deja Bruise* was unstoppable--and her defenders unavoidable--around the bright blue oval. The Bombshells delivered a crushingly lopsided, if amiable, victory. [Cavin]